Simon MAYR (1763 - 1845)
Samuele - Azione Sacra in Due Parti (1821)
Andrea Lauren Brown (soprano) - Samuele; Susanne Bernhard (soprano) - Anna;
Rainer Trost (tenor) - Elcana; Jens Hamann (bass) - Eli
Simon Mayr Chorus (with soloists)
Ingolstadt Georgian Chamber Orchestra/Franz Hauk
rec. Asamkirche Maria de Victoria, Ingolstadt, Germany, 15-19 September 2009
The Italian libretto and the English and German translations may be accessed
at the Naxos website.
NAXOS 8.572721-22 [34:28 + 60:02]
Some years ago I reviewed two issues in the Simon Mayr Naxos series. Maybe
I should exclude the definite article - Mayr’s oeuvre is so large that
there can be no hope of a ‘complete works’ edition. However, what
I have heard so far has been very attractive. I refer readers to my previous
reviews here
and here.
I may add that several of my colleagues also have shown great enthusiasm about
other Mayr issues from Naxos.
The present work, the oratorio Samuele, was written for the appointment
of the new bishop Pietro Mola in Bergamo in the spring of 1821. On 8 April
the bishop’s consecration took place in Milan cathedral. On 12 May Mola
arrived in Bergamo. On 2 June Samuele was performed in the great hall
of the Congregazione della Carità MIA during a concert by pupils of
the Lezioni caritatevoli. The main source for the text is the first
Book of Samuel but there are many references to other parts of the
Bible as well as non-Biblical sources. The most original scene, musically
speaking, is the melodramma in the second part, scene 5 (CD 2 tr. 13)
with speech instead of singing. This concerns Samuel’s prophecy and
the justification for speech instead of song is that this is the word of God
and it has to be expressed differently than the words of the people.
Samuele is a fairly late composition. Mayr was approaching sixty but
he had another twenty-four years to live, so he reached an age attained by
very few of his contemporaries. The music is rooted in Classicism and is alternately
idyllic - the chorus that rounds off Part I (CD 1 tr. 8) could be something
from Haydn’s The Seasons - and dramatic - the chorusAh! qual
fragor! in Scene 5 (CD 2 tr. 17). It is also very melodious. Take, for
example, Samuele’s Preghiera, also in Scene 5 (CD 2 tr. 11).
As in other Mayr works instrumental solos are quite frequent, a clarinet solo
in the long duet in scene 1 (CD 1 tr. 3) is just one instance. The orchestral
playing is superb - the Georgian Chamber Orchestra retains its position as
one of the leading chamber ensembles in Europe. The Simon Mayr Choir, founded
by Franz Hauk in 2003, also evinces high level skills.
The four main soloists are also very good. Andrea Lauren Brown in the title
role begins a little hesitantly with squally tone but she improves quickly.
When she reaches the aforementioned Preghiera she is in wonderful shape.
Her dramatic singing is also splendid. Susanne Bernhard as Anna is even better,
equipped with a superb, extremely beautiful voice. Just listen to her in the
recitative preceding the duet in Scene 1 and her joyous and dramatic aria
with chorus a little later in the same scene (CD 1 tr. 5). Rainer Trost, the
best known of the soloists, has been around for quite some time - he was a
very good Camille in Gardiner’s Die lustige Witwe almost twenty
years ago. He has retained both beauty of tone and elegance of phrasing. Jens
Hamann’s well-schooled lyrical bass is adroitly suited to Eli’s
role. He sings the aria Esser degli esseri (CD 2 tr. 2) with beguiling
tone and plenty of nuance.
Those who have not yet been in contact with Simon Mayr’s music could
do much worse than start here; those who already have probably won’t
need any persuasion. This is a valuable addition to the growing catalogue
of Mayr’s works.
Göran Forsling
A valuable addition to the growing catalogue of Mayr’s works.
see also review by Raymond Walker (August 2012 Recording of the Month)
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